For your information.......... For Immediate Release: 12th March 2007 Team Modena Season Starts at Sebring. Strong driver line-up for first endurance challenge of 2007. Team Modena's race season starts this coming weekend with the prestigious Mobil 1 12-Hours of Sebring in Florida. Saturday's [March 17th] race is one of the most famous endurance races in the world and a stiff test of car and drivers - a perfect opening to the team's 2007 campaign with their Aston Martin DBR9 racecar. The race will be the first for the team in the US and in the American Le Mans Series, but there is in place for the event a quick and experienced driver line-up that should see the Aston Martin a major force in the GT1 class. Rapid Spaniard Antonio Garcia, one of the drivers who took the car to fourth in GT1 and ninth overall in last year's Le Mans 24-Hours, is with the team again for 2007, and joined by Liz Halliday and Darren Turner. Liz joins Team Modena for 2007 and her extensive ALMS experience will be a valuable asset in the week long Sebring Meeting. The UK-based American has showed her pace in endurance racing, and he knowledge of the testing Sebring circuit could be key. Darren joins Team Modena for this race and has huge Aston Martin experience and won in the DBR9's race debut in the event in 2005. In addition, Darren gave Team Modena's own highly successful DBR9 - chassis 101 - a win in its very first race later that year, and a repeat performance would be the perfect end to the coming weekend. "Sebring will be out first race in the US," said Team Principal Graham Schultz, "and something we are all looking forward to. We have been really pleased with the response we have had from everybody there, and have had so much help and support from everyone with the ALMS and at Sebring, it will be good to finally get there and actually meet them. "It is a tough race held typically in tough conditions, so it will be a challenge for us and our drivers. We are going there with the intention of doing our best and seeing what happens at the end of the 12-hours." "We just can't wait to start racing again," says team co-owner Rik Bryan, "and I know all our divers are champing at the bit! Racing in the ALMS for the first time is exciting, I saw the last two rounds of last season and it was a very different style of racing. "We want to be able to show what we can do as a team, and it will be a great test and preparation for the Le Mans 24-Hours. At the very least we get to measure ourselves against the Corvettes and see how good they are!" Next Race: Mobil 1 12-Hours of Sebring, Florida, March 17th 2007 Team Modena Media Officer: Paul Jurd Mobile: (+44) 07713 477418 E-mail: [email protected] For further information: www.TeamModena.com Image Unavailable, Please Login
they were only 1 second off the corvettes today in the first practice. Right now it looks like they cant do worse than 3rd with only 3 entries in GT1.
We were a bit quicker than the Corvettes this morning, and we would very much like to split them........
It will be a great battle as in previous years. I would love to see them win the class but those vettes are almost bulletproof.
Team Modena was first in the first test today. They were +0.73 on the Vettes - then fourth was Risi #62 (Salo/Melo/Mowlem) - F430; fifth Corsa (Mediani/Aguas) - F430; 6th - PWL (Enge/Bergmeister/Gidley) - F430; 7th Rahal Porsche. Audi #1 was first at 1:45.308 - YIPEE ! ! ! I think what was demonstated in today's test clearly shows IMO the way the Ferrari placings will go. I think Risi #62 will place first in GT2 followed by PWL #32 with Mediani/Aguas then PWL #31 with Enge/Bergmeister/Gidley; next will be the 911 RSR of Rahal with Kellners/Milner/Graham Rahal. The LMP2 class is certainly going to be a good one. In the second test today they were all really close with the Dyson Spyder (Wallace/Leitzinger/Lally) on top followed by Penske, Dyson, AGR, Fernandez, Penske and so on with the others . . . Intersport switched from P2 to P1 running a Creation - they were 6 seconds off the pace of Audi #1 (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi's time was 1:45.308. Unfortunately, this weekend will probably be the only one where there will be any competition for the Corvettes except for Le Mans in June. With all the "racing adjustments" made last year between the Astons and Vettes, you can't blame Prodrive for not bringing 007 & 009 back to the states this year. Just my thoughts . . . anyone else going to Sebring too?? Carol
Someones got to fly the British flag though, and we finished ahead of a works Aston and a works Corvette at Le Mans....... Could be interesting - Antonio Garcia is probably the quickest GT1 driver in the world today (he did a 2.01 around the Bahrain GP circuit in my FXX last month!!), Darren Turner has won before in a DBR9 at Sebring (2005), and Liz Halliday has also been successful at Sebring..........
looks like the best time for the DB9 was a 1:58.929 in the afternoon. the best for the vettes was a 1:58.557, also in the afternoon. I do agree they made it a pain for aston martin adding weight etc. You would think they would find a way to slow down Audi after 7 years of dominence. I will be there thursday only due to family issues. First miss in 9 years.
When we were in our seats at LM, we were almost across from your garage. Congrats on your placing there. Now sir, if you will please beat both Vettes at Sebring, I will be most happy! I was glad to see that Liz is with your team - I was beginning to worry after talking to Vincent at Autosport in January - that was getting fairly late as others had been named for various teams and Liz has an impressive racing record... looking forward to watching Antonio (was your FXX at the Finali Mondiali at Monza the end of October?) We'll be at the LMS race at Monza next month and already planned to cheer for Team Modena. We'll be at Sebring very early Saturday morning - hoping they also do the grid walk there. Best of luck for the overall GT1 win this weekend. Carol (ya'll have any team gear?) Hi Michael - thanks and we hope to meet up with you again - perhaps Road Atlanta?
Many thanks! Mine is the blue FXX...... Come and see Team Modena in the Paddock, if you can, and ask for Rik.
Will certainly try to do so before the festivities commence Saturday morning. I'll be watching the IMSA site tomorrow afternoon at 3:20 EDT for qualifying. Increase that gap from yesterday by about 2.4 seconds and I'll be really happy!! I was glad to see my friend had fastest time of the day at 1:45.106. I think that time will come down slightly at qualifying. Good luck tomorrow. Carol
Rik, who did the 1:57.8? Very strong! Great job! Good luck. -Peter (in the vintage paddock, this weekend)
According to DSC it was Antonio that set the time under 2 minutes. They were off the Vettes by .456 and .476 - getting closer!!! Carol
Antonio is the fastest in the car, but Darren only arrived yesterday so will come on strong in the race. We qualified 3rd, behind the Vettes, but within 0.7secs. But they qualified on soft Michelins and we were on mediums, which means that they're a little worried........ We were 5secs faster this evening in the damp conditions............ I think that we'll push them hard during the race!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Congrats Rik on the good news during the rain! Car looks really nice. Wish you guys were able to make a couple more of the ALMS races! Hope to meet up with you Saturday, if not in Monza for sure. Good luck to the team for the GT1 win. Carol
Good luck man, we'll be rooting for you. The car looks great . The wheels are awesome. Stay safe all. Bob
